After much discussion and controversy, the Board of Health approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to ban large containers of sugary soft-drinks in New York City.
Under the approved proposal, many establishments that sell food, like restaurants, arenas and movie theaters, will be unable to sell bottles of soda over 16 ounces. The ban aims at reducing people’s sugar consumption and reducing obesity. Beverages like at least 50 percent milk, fruit and vegetable drinks that have no sugar will be excluded from the ban, which will begin on March 12.
The mayor spoke about the ban at his weekly 1010 WINS radio address on Sunday, September 16.
He said that the approval is “the single biggest step any city has ever taken to curb obesity,” and it will help fight that problem in the United States.
“We took this step because, as a growing number of health experts have pointed out, added sugars – especially those found in sugary drinks – are one of the key drivers of the obesity epidemic in New York and across the United States,” Bloomberg said during his radio address.
His office also released a laundry list of public officials, movie stars and health professionals who support Bloomberg’s soda ban.
“As a parent, I know that every time my kids walk down the aisle at our neighborhood deli they are confronted with more bad choices than good ones,” said public advocate Bill de Blasio in a statement. “It’s an uphill battle that is taking a terrible toll on families across this City – and no one will pay a higher cost than our children if we fail to act.”
City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) has been vocal about his opposition against the soda ban, saying that soda does not cause harm if you drink it in moderation and the city should not be telling you how someone should take care of themselves.
“Now that the Board of Health has rubber stamped Mayor Bloomberg’s arbitrary and capricious soda ban New Yorkers are expected to dutifully ignore the glaring loopholes and be content with their soda ration,” he said in a statement released shortly after the ban was passed.
Halloran, who is the Republican candidate for the 6th Congressional District that includes parts of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth and Ridgewood, marched at the Million Big Gulp March in July at City Hall, rallying against the large drink ban.
By Luis Gronda
